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mother's day gift guide

8:57 AM

My "mother's day gift guide" is very simple this year... I just really want/need a nap. With two kids who still don't have sleeping through the night figured out a one hour, heck even a half hour, nap seems like such a luxury. I suppose I wouldn't turn down a breakfast in bed situation either.
But in case you're still searching for something special for the mother's in your life perhaps some of these goodies will fit the bill:

But more than anything what's been weighing on my mind a lot lately is something my mum said to me over a year ago at this point. She said to me "I wish I got to enjoy being a mum the way you do." It broke my heart into a million pieces. For many, many reasons, some financial and some psychological and some situational my mum's journey through motherhood was a rough and dreary one. My brother got a life threatening illness as a newborn, as I mentioned before she didn't know how to drive, didn't own a washing machine or a dryer, didn't have access to diapers or adequate mental healthcare, didn't have a support system or any sort of help and was thrown into raising children without any handbooks or advice. Now she did the absolute best she could but I know what she means. It was always stressful, always hard, always tiring. And I wish more than anything I could let her do it over again.
But I can't, the past is the past. But I have a wonderful gift and opportunity of enjoying motherhood and sadly sometimes I forget this. I forget that I have the luxury to lay in bed all morning and read with my babies and tickle them until we're all crying from laughing. I forget that I have the luxury of jumping in the car with the kids and heading to the botanical gardens for the day. I don't have to worry about the clothes on the line or about lunch or dinner, I can always pick something up on the way. I forget that I don't have to plan to wait in line for the Red Cross truck handing out bread for free every Friday because we can afford not just bread but a fridge and pantry full of food. I forget, all too often, that the luxuries of modern living afford me precious moments and memories in the making with my children. Moments and memories that my own mother never got the chance to make.
So this mother's day I want to celebrate a mother who gave everything she had to provide us with all of life's necessities and who I've never loved or understood more than I do today. I want to celebrate the fact that I am so unbelievably blessed to live in a country that affords me so much. So much in fact that it leaves me with ample time to love, laugh and enjoy my children. Because that's what it's all about. No one will ever remember whether our laundry was always done or the house was clean or how many meals a day I cooked versus how many times we went to McDonalds but I hope that my children will always remember just how much love I tried to surround them with. I hope they remember every kiss, hug, cuddle, song and laugh. I hope they remember how much good there was.